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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

It’s hard not to love cheesecake, but more
often than not they provide an avalanche of calories. A bad news desert if you
are trying to watch your waistline. So I’m happy to report that I may have
created an ideal cheesecake that provides a perfect mix of great taste,
nutritional benefits and portion control. Best of all, its no-bake!

These individual cheesecakes benefit from a
nutrient dense base made up of oats, nuts, raisins (which act as a binder) and
antioxidant packed cocao powder. Thick and velvety Greek yogurt is a wonderful
alternative to some of the more calorie-laden cheese and/or cream. Plus, it is
packed with protein to help make these individual cakes more satiating.

And not to be overlooked is the main
flavoring: coffee. It gives these cheesecakes some sophisticated flavor and
grown-up appeal. For this recipe, I used one of the new blend options from Doi Chaang. In past posts, I’ve praised this coffee company for their superior
beans from Thailand and ethical practices. Their newest offerings include Hardwired, Social Medium and others blends which are a
mélange of beans from Thailand and other coffee growing juggernauts such as Ethiopia,
Nicaragua and Sumatra. As with their traditional offerings, all Doi Chaang Blends are
fair trade and certified organic.

Are you a java lover? Well, I’ve got good
news as it’s time for another Muffin Tin Mania giveaway. The fine folks at Doi
Chaang have agreed to award one of my readers with some of their new product.
The bags may even make for a tasty Christmas gift. To enter, all you need to do
is leave a comment on this blog post that says “I’m buzzing for Doi Chaang”
along with some way of identifying yourself such as your initials, name or
email address and I will use this online
tool to randomly select a winner. I’ll announce the winner on Wednesday
December 11th, so if you entered write the date down on your calendar and check
back in then for a chance to claim your prize.

Good news Susan, you won this contest. Just let me know your shipping address and I'll have some coffee sent your way.

Coffee Yogurt Cheesecakes

If possible, use silicon muffin cups for
these as it makes it much easier to remove the cheesecakes once set. You can
garnish with toasted coconut flakes, candied orange peel or shaved dark
chocolate.

2 cups rolled
oats

3/4 cup
unsalted almonds

1 cup raisins

1/4 cup
natural or raw cacao powder1/4 cup melted coconut oil

3 tablespoons
honey

Zest of 1
lemon1 tablespoon (1 pkg.) unflavored gelatin

1 cup strongly
brewed coffee

1/3 cup
coconut sugar or other sugar of choice

1/2 teaspoon
cardamom

2 teaspoons
vanilla extract

1 cup 2% plain
Greek yogurt

8 ounces cream
cheese, reduced fat if desired

Place oats and almonds in a food processor
container and process until pulverized. Add raisins, cacao powder, coconut oil,
honey and lemon zest; process until the mixture sticks together when squeezed
with your fingers.

Divide mixture among 12 standard sized
muffin cups and press down firmly so each crust is well compacted and
flat.Place
muffin tins in refrigerator while you prepare the topping.

Stir together
gelatin and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl; let sit 5 minutes. Bring
coffee, sugar, cardamom and vanilla to a gently simmer in a medium sized
saucepan. Add gelatin and stir until gelatin has dissolved.

Puree together
yogurt and cream cheese in a food processor. Add hot coffee mixture and blend
until combined. Pour coffee-cheese mixture into muffin cups over crusts.
Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.